If we start judging after every game how will we develop bowlers, asks Gautam Gambhir
Leeds, Jun 24 (PTI): The chinks in India's depleted bowling resources were exposed during the opening Test defeat to England but head coach Gautam Gambhir urged critics not to sit in judgement after every game saying it becomes an impediment in their development.
Barring Jasprit Bumrah, who got five wickets in England's first innings, none of the other bowlers looked penetrative as the hosts chased down a target of 371 with minimum fuss.
"This pace attack comprises of one bowler who has played four Tests (Prasidh Krishna), there is another who has played two Tests (Harshit Rana) and one who hasn't played a Test (Arshdeep Singh)," Gambhir said during the post match press conference here on Tuesday.
"In ODIs, it doesn't matter, but on tours of England and Australia, these are tough places. It is like throwing them in the sea. If we start judging bowlers after every Test, how do we develop them?"
"If we leave out Bumrah and Siraj, there is not much experience in the line-up but we need to back them as they have got talent," Gambhir said in bowling unit's defence.
He felt that Prasidh, who got five wickets in the match despite going for plenty of runs, did a good job and has "all ingredients of becoming a very good Test match bowler".
He also defended Shardul Thakur, who just bowled 16 overs in an entire match with only six overs in the first innings.
"Sometimes captain goes with his instincts and Ravindra Jadeja gave us control in first innings, that was important and we could rotate our three pacers at other end," he said.
"We know what is Shardul's quality and that is why he is playing for India and is in the dressing room. Just because he is the fourth seamer does not necessarily mean that he has to be brought ahead of a spinner. A captain went by his instinct and depending on surface we were playing."
Gambhir also praised Gill for his phenomenal batting in the first innings and feels that he needs to be given time to develop in a leadership role.
For Gambhir, every defeat is bad, doesn't matter if the team is "experienced" or filled with young players.
"Every defeat is bad. Doesn't matter if its young team or experienced team. It's an Indian team. It is not an excuse for defeat as we represent 140 crore Indians."
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US firm The Standard opens GCC in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): US-based firm The Standard, a leading provider of insurance, retirement, and investment products, on Tuesday opened a GCC at Embassy Tech Village in Bengaluru.
The facility, inaugurated by IT Minister Priyank Kharge, marks the next phase of The Standard’s growth in India, following the launch of its India operations in November 2025, the company said.
According to a statement, the centre will support the continued expansion of capabilities across AI engineering, cloud platform development, data and analytics, digital transformation, and insurance operations, aligned with the company’s global strategy.
The inauguration also marks the opening of The Standard India’s permanent Bengaluru office, with plans for long-term expansion in software engineering, total experience, AI, and enterprise platforms.
The company said it will continue strengthening its in-house technology expertise in line with its long-term transformation roadmap.
“Karnataka, and Bengaluru in particular, continues to be the global epicentre for Global Capability Centres. The addition of The Standard’s GCC is yet another testament to the strength of our ecosystem—anchored in world-class talent, progressive policies, and a strong culture of innovation,” the IT minister said.
“We are witnessing sustained momentum in GCC investments, with global enterprises increasingly choosing Karnataka to drive high-value functions across AI, engineering, and digital transformation. Our focus is on enabling the next generation of GCCs that are innovation-led, outcome-driven, and deeply integrated with global business strategy,” he added.
Since establishing its presence in India in November last year, The Standard has strengthened its local leadership team across finance, human resources, talent acquisition, information technology, administration, and communications, the company said.
Greg Chandler, Executive Vice President of Information Technology at The Standard, said its operations in India play an increasingly important role in the company’s technology transformation.
“The launch of The Standard India strengthens our ability to fuel ongoing growth, innovate, scale technology capabilities, accelerate digital transformation, and deliver new solutions to our customers faster,” he said.
“This centre represents a long-term investment in world-class talent and reflects our confidence in India as a strategic partner in shaping the future of our business,” Chandler added.
